What is it with kids and losing library books? My kids continually lose library books and I am constantly paying for them.  Alex lost two more books.  There goes another $10…

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I am always fighting with my kids to get up in the mornings.  Their alarms go off at 6am, but I don’t see them until after 6:30 when I go into their rooms to see if they’ve run away.  I say everyday “I wish my kids would get up on their own”.  I decided to do a little searching on the subject, and I found this article on waking kids in the morning, which talks about a few ways to do this without going crazy or yelling.

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Alex had a blast at the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday.  I know eggs are not what Easter is all about, but for a kid, hunting for the eggs is a lot of fun.  The ground was a little wet from the rain the day before, but no one got in the car with muddy feet.

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Today was an historic day.  For some, it meant the possibility of a better economy.  For others, it meant that their loved ones will may come home sooner from abroad.  For African-American families (of which, mine is one), it means a little more.

There have been African-American judges, congress-men, Senators, etc.  For the first time, ever, there is an African-American President of the United States.  Here is what this translates to.  America is still the most powerful country in the world.  The leader of that country is the most-powerful person in the world.  African-Americans have gone from being slaves less than 200 years ago to having one of us hold the most-powerful office on Earth.

I tried to teach the girls some of what this means and what today’s activities were all about.  I think it is going to take a few more evenings of going over this for them to understand.  They need to understand what those who have come before them have done to make this happen; what people are doing today that will help them in the future; and what they can do to help themselves achieve any and every dream they have.

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Alex in Fall 2008

At the age of 7, other than being a little manipulative, Alex seems to be the one that follows instructions the best, handles adversity the best, and holds no grudges. I enjoy spending one-on-one time with Alex and no matter what mood I am in and no matter what I have said to her, she can always be counted on for an “I Love You, Daddy.” at bed time. Cassie, on the other hand, is a little more trouble.

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Can anyone tell me where my daughter left this book?  It’s a library book and I’m tired of paying for library books. 

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What kind of 4th of July did you have? Mine (my family’s) was a BLAST!!! We spent the entire day outside. I wrote about the entire experience over on johnasimpson.com. Check it out.

Technorati Tags: 4th of july, independence day, fun, six flags, girls, swimming, hurricane harbor, family

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The three of us were upstairs in my bedroom and then Alex went downstairs with Pop Pop. When she came back I asked her if she had given Pop Pop my kisses. She said yes, so I said to her that I was going to wipe off Pop Pop kisses. I wiped both sides of her face and she then began to tune up as if she was going to cry. I said, what’s wrong. She said, “You wiped off Daddy’s kisses too.” I asked her if you had locked your kisses in and she said no. I was too tickled so I opened my hand and said, “Well, let me put them back on. Which side of your face did he kiss you?’ She told me and I rubbed my hand over that side of her face and her tears disappeared.

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Someone at work sent me an email about this little girl that has a brain tumor. Here is an excerpt from the web site her family has set up:

On January 7, 2008, our lives were changed forever when our 10 year old daughter Emily was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in her left thalamus. Emily’s brain tumor, a pediatric low grade astrocytoma (PLGA) is the most common type of childhood brain tumor and yet, has historically received little, if any, dedicated funding or research. Consequently, there are few treatment options available, and those that are available are invasive, toxic and mostly ineffective.

Emily is determined to change all this and she has set her sights on raising $1 million to help fund PLGA dedicated research by December 31st, 2008. We, her family, have partnered with The Pediatric Low Grade Astrocytoma Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity (founded in August 2007) to help raise money for dedicated PLGA research with a goal of developing kinder, gentler and more effective treatments, AND a cure, for the thousands of PLGA children around the world.

I do believe this to be true. Please visit Emily’s website, www.colorforacure.com. You can buy a pixel of color for just one dollar. Each dollar – every cent – goes to PLGA research, and each pixel is added to a picture which is gradually completed as the goal of a million dollars is approached. You can make a difference in a child’s life, and make sure you tell a friend!

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